When IDW announced it was going to publish a sequel to Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith's hit vampire comic, I was looking forward to it, but I was unsure how they'd pull it off, given the finality of the first story. Well, Dark Days proved to be inventive and riveting. And if there were any lingering doubts as to the storytelling potential in the monster-laden world of 30 Days, this anthology special will put them to rest. Niles builds upon the ideas put forth in 30 Days and Dark Days, and he follows up on a couple of supporting characters from those titles as well. Overall, the stories here are quite accessible, and even newer readers can discover what makes Niles such a strong horror writer.
A suburban book club discusses the merits of Stella Olemaun's book 30 Days of Night, and the conversation veers toward to the dark reality the book represents. A vampire who lost a limb seeks the aid of conventional medicine for his unconventional problem. An FBI agent who had investigated Stella Olemaun and her claims begins an ugly transformation. And we learn that not all the citizens of Barrow were home when the vampire attack began.
Templesmith's art in the opening story is as strong as we've come to expect. I love the lack of definition in his dark artwork, and the sharp angles that emerge in moments of violence. His depiction of the suburban characters reminds me of the style of Sam (The Maxx) Keith, who's no slouch when it comes to creepy visuals. The story is a surprisingly grounded, natural extension of the notion that served as the foundation for Dark Days. The ending is a little predictable, but it's a satisfying and morbidly funny story all the same.
The other three stories mark a real divergence from the usual 30 Days fare in that they offer other artists' take on the characters and concepts. Szymon Kudranski's art on the second story is definitely reminiscent of Templesmith's, but he doesn't submerge his own style for the sake of mimickry. Kudranski offers a little more detail, which works well with the surgical elements of the story. The basis of the story here isn't the creepiness of vampires, but the dangerous curiosity of a scientist. "The Hand That Feeds" stands out as Niles's strongest script in the book.
The weakest art stems from the third story. It's not that Hovet's pencils are weak. Quite the opposite, actually; his work reminds me of the dark style of Kyle (The Hood) Hotz. It's just that the more conventional linework is a significant deviation from the overall look of the property and this one-shot in particular. The story left me kind of flat as well, as there didn't seem to be much of a point in following up on this minor character.
Josh Medors's work on the final story is quite impressive, combining the dark and angular style established by Templesmith with a simpler, softer approach reminiscent of Matt (Mage) Wagner's art. Medors's colors are particularly effective here as well. The short story demonstrates that even though the Alaskan town of Barrow has been destroyed, there are still many other stories that can be told using it as a backdrop.
